


feel the heat with somebody

by Dawn_Blossom



Series: Chrom/Grima in Askr [15]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, Love, M/M, chrom gets mad at grima's bs and then immediately feels bad about it, grima gets mad about what chrom says and then immediately feels bad about it, they are truly madly deeply in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:55:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26842501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawn_Blossom/pseuds/Dawn_Blossom
Summary: “Chrom…” Grima’s mouth twists into a grimace. “Do you… want to go to a ball?”
Relationships: Chrom/Gimurei | Grima
Series: Chrom/Grima in Askr [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1099986
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	feel the heat with somebody

**Author's Note:**

> So... I had to hurry up and write this fic for the series because there's another one I'm writing for chrobin week later this month, and trust me this one needs to come first.
> 
> Idk, I just think Chrom deserves to express a little pettiness and anger on occasion... Grima sure does like to slip what he really means underneath intentionally frustrating statements, and no matter how hopelessly in love with somebody you are, that's gotta get tiring... Especially when you secretly fear losing his attention. Of course, I'm pretty sure their bond's unbreakable at this point.
> 
> Anyway, the title of course comes from the Whitney Houston classic [I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xzN8Nt0Pok), which somehow managed to fit this fic awfully well considering I didn't decide on a title until after I finished it...

Although the days of the heroes summoned to Askr are filled with fighting, they are also filled with much merriment. At any given time, you can be sure that some special event or another is going on. This season, everyone is consumed with formal dancing, and it seems there is a new dance being held every couple of days.

Chrom doesn’t exactly mind missing out on this trend. Besides, he and Grima have been particularly busy on the battlefield lately. When would they have time for something like that? Grima would scorn the mere suggestion.

So he’s really surprised when Grima suggests it.

“Chrom…” Grima’s mouth twists into a grimace. “Do you… want to go to a ball?”

It’s not the sort of statement Chrom is usually greeted with when he comes to Grima’s room!

“Pardon?” he asks, though he doesn’t _think_ he’s misheard.

“A ball, Chrom,” Grima huffs. “You know. You must have been to a million of them, being royalty and all.”

“No, I know that, just—” Chrom shakes his head. “You asked so out of the blue. What brought this on?”

“You received an invitation to one,” Grima says. “That Deirdre woman thought you seemed respectable. Though no doubt this is because she once mistook you for her husband upon first arriving here.”

“Ha, did she now…”

Chrom takes a seat next to Grima on the bed, accepting the invitation his lover pushes into his hands. It’s been a long time since he’s had to go to a fancy party like this. He’s never particularly enjoyed them, not when he could be out having more fun with just his friends, away from the judgmental eyes of society. And no one expected him to hold many balls while leading a war. There was his wedding, of course, but even that was fairly solemn, and no one had any reason to question his motive to leave early besides, even if most of the guests’ reasoning was somewhat off.

“So, er… do YOU want to go to this ball?” he asks.

Frankly, he would not have expected it to be to Grima’s taste. Formalwear, a bunch of arbitrary rules, a crowd full of gossipers… If anything, he’d expect Grima to make fun of the whole concept.

“Why should I take any interest in it?” Grima looks down with a scowl. “It would be more like me to shatter their glassware and be done with it.”

 _Then why the hell did you ask ME,_ Chrom almost says aloud. But no, that’s exactly the point; Grima wouldn’t have asked for no reason. And come to think of it, why would Deirdre hand Grima an invitation meant for Chrom in the first place? It’s not as though their paths never cross.

So what is Grima playing at?

Chrom grits his teeth.

“It would be rude to turn down a personal invitation,” he says. “So forgive me, but I guess I’ll have to leave you alone for a night. When is this thing, anyway…?”

He searches the invitation for the date and time and pretends he doesn’t notice Grima stiffen. He feels a little bad… Alright, so he feels very bad… But he doesn’t know what Grima is getting at beyond the fact that he probably does want to go to the ball, and for some reason that hurts…

Chrom knows how his lover is, knows how precious it is to ever be allowed to see Grima’s true feelings at all, but… They’re talking about one petty dance! How hard is it to say you want to go? Hell, Grima wouldn’t even have to give a reason; Chrom would give him anything he asked for!

“Figures you’d roll over at their demand,” Grima sneers. “Still pressured by the yoke of arrogant nobles. Or perhaps you miss the lifestyle you used to have—”

“For the love of the gods…” Chrom grimaces. The lifestyle he used to have? Would that be before or after his sister was assassinated? “Grima, can you shut up?”

“I—” Grima meets Chrom’s eyes and falters. “Oh… Chrom… I didn’t mean it like that…”

But thinking about it, Chrom is sure he did mean it. Perhaps not as an insult… He knows what Grima thinks of him. Grima _says_ he trusts him. But no matter what he says, it seems that deep in his heart, he still questions Chrom’s faith.

And, well, of course he misses his friends and family from his world. But he wouldn’t trade the life he has here to go back there!

But if Grima doesn’t believe him now, perhaps he never will. Perhaps Chrom’s spirit will burn for him until the day it fades completely from the world, and Grima simply will not care to see it.

Yet thinking about it that way just makes the flame inside him grow hotter. Maybe Grima will feel it then.

“Tell me the truth,” Chrom says. “Did Deirdre invite ME, or did she invite US?”

The answer is obvious. Quietly, Grima sighs.

“She spoke of admiring you,” he says. “But I’m certain she never thought for a second that you wouldn’t bring me…”

“If you didn’t want me to go, you could have ripped this invitation to shreds and never let me know,” Chrom says. “It’s obvious you want to go… Can you just tell me why? I don’t understand your plan…”

“Plan? You think I have one?” Grima scoffs. “You think I always have some scheme at the ready? No… Truly… I do not know why I care. A bunch of humans dancing around without a thought in their heads? I should hate it. But when I thought about it… If I was with you…”

There is such warmth in Grima’s eyes that Chrom cannot stop himself from pulling him into an embrace.

“Why did you act like you were opposed to it, then?” he says softly. “I care for your happiness above everything… but sometimes I know I must be boring you… yet I can’t read your thoughts. I think I know how you feel… I trust you have a reason for everything… You don’t have to explain it all to me. But I still… wonder.”

“Sometimes I swear you CAN read my thoughts,” Grima says, his fingers digging into the back of Chrom’s shirt. “But obviously that must not be true… Boredom? Everything you do excites me. It’s unfair… Even merely thinking about standing next to you… in an insignificant ballroom… in front of an insignificant audience… I still…”

He pulls one arm back to reach for Chrom’s hand. His fingers find Chrom’s, and he drags both their hands over his heart.

“You see?” he asks.

His heartbeat is too fast, like he’s just finished a sparring match. His heart is racing for Chrom…

It doesn’t feel like something Chrom deserves.

“Then we’ll go,” he says. “I should never have pretended I would go without you… In truth, I don’t know how I would bear it without you there. I do remember questionable things about these events… but all the other guests will simply have to make way for us. Never let it be thought that I would have anyone else by my side. You’re—”

He pauses, afraid he might be getting a bit too aggressive. But Grima’s heartbeat never loses its rhythm, and if anything, Grima’s growing smile is smug.

“You’re mine,” he therefore continues, emboldened. “And I’m yours… That’s what you want them to see, isn’t it?”

“Perhaps…” Grima closes his eyes, still smiling. “Perhaps…”

Chrom leans forward to press their lips together. He loves Grima so much that it hurts… 

But he knows that Grima hurts, too. Sometimes, there is nothing they can do but hold each other.


End file.
